Code of Honour
by heavyneos
Summary: A man follows his code for better or worse
1. Chapter 1

(2361 Starfleet Academe)

Jon took a nervous ragged breath as he prepared to go on stage and give his valedictorian speech he had everything prepared he took one final deep calming breath and made his way to the podium, the graduation annex was nowhere near as big as the Archer Arena but right now it may as well be, he looked out into the crowd and saw a mass of reds blues and yellows interspersed between a wide rainbow of clothing and peoples, he was committed now this was his final decision and there was no backing out now.

He adjusted the collar of his command red dress tunic and then he began

"When I was made valedictorian I was honoured, I felt that it was a culmination of my hard work and dedication to excelling, it was justification to my Father that I could be every bit the man he was and every bit the man my Grate Granduncle was, as a child I was pushed to succeed as far as my family was concerned second place was first looser, I made sacrifice after sacrifice to get to here," he took another deep breath "but as I stand here today I come to realise that the grate gilded halls of Star Fleet Academe was just a building, a hollow building, as I read the histories of Star Fleet I realised that the men that are held up as the paragons of the Federation grate heroes and world changers where just men" a mummer began to wash over the assembled crowd as he continued, a few of the teachers and officers assembled began to squirm.

"and the farther I read the more horrified I became, but I pushed it down believing that orders should be followed without question but then I discovered the log of one Captain T'par from 2319." Another murmur came over the crowd but was shushed down by other cadets and parents "and you can find copies of this within the fleet library just two buildings down from here" he said pointing in the general direction of the library "but to shorten it down for you she commanded the Starship Orion a Constellation class vessel who was patrolling the edge of Federation territory, where she came across a ship fleeing the Bajor sector, she hailed the ship and asked if they needed assistance but as she did so a vessel form the then unknown Cardassian union appeared,... the Bajoran ship begged for help pleaded for assistance only for the Cardassian ship to order them away witch the Captain obliged as it was deemed an internal matter, her sensor officer then reported that as they moved off the refugee ship was fired on and destroyed". Jon ran a hand through his mouse blond hair before continuing he could see out of the corner of his eye the commandant and the fleet admiral began lean over and speak to each other.

"Many of you may not believe me but this is far from an isolated incident and I wish that was the case but it is not, I went into that library to prepare a speech of gratitude and humbleness, a speech that would at least I hoped it would leave an impact on the lives of each of us who are leaving here today, that somehow when we changed from the cadet uniform to the fleet uniform that we would all be better than what we are now."

"But the truth is that we won't be as long as Orders are followed as dogmatic law, that it is to never question them, because one day we will have to answer for them and on that day the defence of I was just following orders will not be enough, it wasn't enough of the Nazi's in Nuremburg or Coronal Green in Geneva and it is not enough now and that is why that effective immediately I resign form Starfleet, as I cannot be a part of an organisation that violates everything that I have come to hold dear, an organisation that gives succour to its vilest enemies, while it turns a blind eye to the suffering of innocents while convincing itself that it has the moral high ground" Jon then took his fleet badge off followed by his graduation ring and paper diploma "may you go boldly into a better tomorrow" he turned and walked back the way he came as an avalanche of whispers and murmurs erupted out of control, but Jon felt so light like a great all encompassing weight had been lifted from him and he could breathe free for the first time, then as he walked down the steps he got this feeling rising deep within his stomach 'what have I done' he felt week as he reached for a chair and sat.

'what am I going to do now' he thought he had done what he had thought was right, but what now all he had ever done was try to get into Starfleet but he had become so disillusioned, he tried to push past it but even as he had tried it became more and more apparent that he didn't belong he would miss the structured order of Star Fleet but he just could not exist here, he had graduated just as his father had wanted, he had gone to command officer school like he wanted, completed the security proficiently school like his mother had wanted, he had excelled like they had wanted but what did he want? It had been so long since he even considered what he wanted that he could not think of anything.

He knew that his father and mother would be back here in a few minutes so he decided it was best if he made tracks now, getting to his feet he suddenly felt faint and crashed back into his chair he waited a few more moments before trying again this time he was successful and made rapid pace to his dorm room.

As the door opened he saw his roommate sitting on his bed, he scowled as Jon past through the threshold.

"Why?" his voice rumbled deeply from within his chest, the door whooshed shut behind him and he took a few moments to respond as he considered the response that his friend would understand.

"Honour demanded it" he knew that as a Klingon Worf would understand maybe more than his own family would

"Is it true" he asked standing, he folded his arms and glared at Jon who moved passed him to his side of the shared living space

"Yes" he sighed as he opened his draws and grabbed his go bag "unfortunately it is"

"She acted without honour" Jon could pick up the inflection of shame in his voice

"But had approval of the admiralty of the day and is an admiral now" he said as he took off his Starfleet dress uniform tunic

"What will you do now?"

"I honestly don't know" he said as he sat down on his bed "for most of my life I have been told what to do, I was told to join Star Fleet I was told to go for Command but I have never thought of what to do for myself"

"Perhaps it's time you started" Worf always was a plain talker he would tell you this as they were not as people wanted them to be

"Yes, but where do I begin" he sighed and dropped his head into his hands "Worf we have been friends since we began at the academe I would welcome any advice you can offer me loDnI"

"Very well" he smiled "you should go out and find yourself, discover what you want to do and do it"

Jon smiled then chucked

"Never change Worf"


	2. Chapter 2

(2366 Star Base K7 Klingon Federation border)

It had taken five years for Jon to get to this point he had started out as a spare hand on a transport and had managed to get enough money together through the job and other less legal means by federation standards,( which didn't make scenes to Jon as he would have thought that star fleet didn't care about a merchant company having an armed escort branch,) to buy an old warp tug; from there he began to build his own company, had made a living transporting cargo and people mostly to back water planets and outposts on the edge of federation territory, worlds that had only just been settled and worlds that where on rough times, but today he was trading up, he had purchased a sweet little number that had caught his interest and he also had a passenger to take to the empire, though he won't be selling his Durance class tug, he was expanding his enterprise into body guarding and armoured transportation, his former second in command Jack Stapleton would be taking command of his transport ship, he was an older man and a good hand, he was a Starfleet officer that had to resigned his commission when Starfleet decided that defending their territory was of secondary importance.

Jon tugged his black uniform tunic for the fourth time since he had put it on and he was beginning to regret insisting on uniforms for his crew and himself, he wanted military professionalism the kind that people could trust, that would differentiate him from every other merchant company, the uniform was Russian in origin and imperial Russian at that, his grate Granduncle would have loved it though to him everything was made in Russia even when he knew it wasn't.

The uniform had a black tunic with red piping and silver accents on the colour and cuffs and silver tussled epaulets with the company logo on them head of and a captains insignia on the main body of it, he had a silver and red belt with option for a sword belt to be attached to it, the trousers where a deep blue with a red stripe half an inch thick and tucked into tall black jackboot and a pair of white gloves, his peaked hat was tucked under his right arm and his left was a resting on the pommel of an ornate curved Sabre attached to his belt.

Next to him was commander Stapleton dressed the same uniform with a different ranking pin on the main body of his epaulets, and a less ornate sabre clutched in his left hand his blond hair was brightly clashing against his dark uniform.

"Why are we dressed like this"? He asked his Scandinavian accent was powerful but not overpowering to a point where you could not understand him, he was pulling at the high collar and his thumb was circling the pommel with his agitation.

"Because he is a high level dignitary and has chosen this ship to ferry him to Qo'noS, and we want to make a good impression so that we can continue to get high level fares and make more money" he adjusted his own collar and straightened his tunic again "are the large crew quarters ready"

"Yes sir, we have moved your things into the adjacent room" he smiled "it was lucky for us that you where already packed sir"

"Yes isn't it" he dismissed nonchalantly "how are the extra crew doing"

"They're bunked in cargo bay three sir and are looking forward to getting to Archanis IV as soon as possible sir"

"I can empathise, tell them we won't be long it's a day and a half trip and then they will have more comfortable quarters soon enough"

The communications point by the door whistled before a Scottish accented voice came through

"Bridge, shuttle bay"

"Shuttle bay here"

"Sir his shuttle has docked" Jon hit the white button to respond "exterior doors closed and the bay has re-pressurised"

The yellow door they were standing in front of opened with a whooshing hiss of hydraulics and there stood a regal looking feral Klingon warrior his hair was curled and grey and he had a moustache that reached past his chin, he stood in full regalia and placed his hands on his hips.

"Finally a greeting worthy of Dahar master" he said "I was beginning to think that none of you humans knew how to show respect"

"General Koloth a pleasure to meet you" the Dahar masters eyes flicked briefly down to the weapons each man was carrying

"Tell me," he said as he passed through the threshold "do you know how to use those, or are they just for decoration" Jon smiled

"I'm more than able to use this if it comes to it" the Klingon smiled showing off a range of fangs that had been sharpened to deadly points "we have prepared you a room for our journey to Archanis IV"

"I was led to believe that you were going to Qo'noS"

"We are general, just not on this ship"

"Oh"?

"Yes I have recently purchased a ship on Archanis IV and had engineering teams to make sure that it is fully functional I'm sure that you will appreciate the slight detour"

"Very well" he said

"Commander Stapleton will show you to your assigned quarters and give you a quick tour of the ship"

"If you would follow me sir" the Klingon growled before following the commander to a set of stairs and down them.

Jon sighed that was more annoying than what he had expected, and as he walked to the end of the corridor and into the turbo lift, he grabbed the duck egg blue handle and barked

"Bridge" the lift whirred into life as he held on to the handle and a few seconds later the door whooshed open and he was on the bridge

"Captain on deck"

"Have we been given leave to disembark?"

"Aye sir we have, we are to move off at impulse until we have left the imitate traffic zone"

"Navigation as soon as we are past the traffic marker set course to Archanis IV warp 6"

"Aye sir" said the helmswoman a young Vulcan woman that had a regal beauty; she was wearing a two piece uniform with black jack boots, black trousers and a black shirt with blue shoulder board epilates and over the back of her chair was a black tunic with red piping a chest epilate with an ensign rank and her name on the left breast, the uniform was reminiscent of the uniform worn in the 2270s.

He took his seat at the centre of the modular bridge as the Helm officer entered the commands into her console, the image of the station moved from view and they were left with an almost empty star field a few star ships where present and a Miranda class starship had just streaked into view, the two past each other leaving a few thousand kilometres between them before the helm officer turned to her chair so she was facing the captain.

"We are past the last marker sir"

"Excellent is the curse laid in" he asked her

"Aye sir" she answered sharply turning back to her console

"Very well T'var execute"

"Helm answers warp 6 sir"

"Good I'll be in my cabin" he said as he re entered the turbo lift.

As he walked into the corridor to his cabin he stopped, then snapped his fingers in irritation he had forgotten that he had just given those to his new fair, he looked up then sighed and was about to make a one eighty turn when he felt a very strong hand clap him on the shoulder and stop him.

He jumped in surprise and half drew his sabre when the one responsible spoke

"I wish to speak with you captain" it was General Koloth but how had he snuck up on him?

"Is there anything wrong general" he said as he re sheathed his blade

"Yes I would like the use of a room to train in" there was no gym on his ship and it wasn't big enough for a holosuite

"There isn't really a room I can just give you General"

"Oh then how much would one cost me human" he could hear the sneer in the man's voice and his hand clamp tighter on his shoulder, he barely held of a wince

"That's not what I meant general there is no room this is a small ship but if you want to train you can use Cargo bay two"

"I thank you captain" he said after a moment "and I must apologise to you I believed that you where trying to extort money from me"

"I'm not that kind of man"

"That I am beginning to see" he said releasing Jon from his grip

"And general" Jon called as he turned to face him "if you need a sparring partner let me know"

The Klingon smiled showing off his fangs be for continuing on to the mess hall.

"I may just take you up on that Captain"

The next day Jon woke up slightly disorientated, he looked around to get his bearings and realising that he was not in his cabin his brain decide to engage itself and he realised that he was in his second officers cabin, sighing he got out of bed and made his way to the shower, the ship didn't have a fancy sonic shower but a good old fashioned h2o shower served just as well, he put on his type two duty uniform a black two piece uniform a black set of cargo trousers and instead of a short sleeved shirt he had a black polo shirt with his black worn jackboots, he strapped on his utility belt a simple leather belt with a holster for his EM-33-66, and a scabbard on the back for of the belt for his mid size dagger, and it had a small scanning device that fit into the palm comfortably two replacement power cores and an emergency medical kit, he grabbed his cap, grey duty vest and existed the room.

He made his way to the spiral staircase up to the next level to get to the turbo lift so he could get to the bridge; he decided to forgo his breakfast for now he wanted a status update he slipped on the grey vest as he made his way to the turbo lift door where he was met by one of the mechanics mates, he was a young lad who looked to be mid to late teens but he knew his stuff, he was wearing a set of one piece overalls in black with his tool belt and his pulse pistol strapped to his chest so it wouldn't get in the way while he was in crawl spaces.

"Sorry sir"

"That's all right just be more watchful in future" Jon wasn't about to shout down a kid almost a decade his junior he was only seventeen after all

"Aye sir"

"What's got you in such a rush anyway?"

"I wanted to avoid our guest sir he's a little intimidating" Jon had to suppress a smile

"I can understand that, the first time I met a Klingon I was seven years old frightened the life out of me" the younger man smiled "but you may want to get to your post before Chief O'Carroll uses you to clean out the sewage re-sequencer"

"Aye aye sir" he said as he bolted down the corridor to the engineering section.

Jon chuckled before he entered the turbo lift.

The bridge was quiet but no more than usual, Jon had been expecting a lot more trouble when he entered Klingon space but he had experienced none not even a border patrol or a customs official which while not strange was unexpected, the Klingons where quite particular over who entered there space and what they were here for, he sat in his chair contemplating this when the tell tale whoosh of the turbo lift doors interrupted him.

"I thought I would find you here captain" it was Koloth

"Good morning General" Jon said as his chair turned to the lift doors "I wonder if you could clear something up for me"

"I shall try Captain but it depends on what you ask"

"I have heard reports first hand and third hand that the empire is very protective of its borders"

"Yes that's true"

"Then why haven't we encountered anyone" this seemed to stump the General "we have encountered no patrols, no customs officers and have had no communications with anyone in this sector"

"what?" this seemed to enrage the General "there should at least three ships in this sector running patrol"

"And yet we have encountered none and we are almost at the Archanis sector" he said turning to his helm officer who nodded "in fact we are an hour out from the edge of the solar system"

"Have you had any communication form the system?"

"No we have not"

"Have you tried shifting frequency?"

"Of course I have what kind of dammed fool you take me for" spouted the Communications officer, her name was Alison she was an older woman entering her sixties but she still dad a love for adventure and refused to retire, Koloth smirked at her before turning to the Captain.

"I suggest that you try communications again captain but this time allow me to speak with them" Jon turned to his communications officer and nodded. Koloth walked over to the communications console and loomed over Alison,

"Use this frequency it is the Klingon fleet priority channel" he said as he keyed it into the console flipping toggle switches and hammering buttons "This is Koloth Dahar master of the Klingon Empire respond" there was nothing not even static just silence, Jon immediately jumped into action.

"Shields up" Jon ordered "bring weapons on line" he pressed a button on his command chair "action stations, action station this is no drill"

"Weapons charged and shields are up" said the weapons officer

"All crew have reported action stations sir"

"Your crew is almost Klingon in their speed Captain but I doubt that your weapons systems would be a match for anything"

"You would be surprised General"

The ship entered the system at warp 7 before slowing to half impulse speed and making their way to the fourth planet's moon prepared as best they could be for the worst to happen.


	3. Chapter 3

(2366 Archanis IV)

"Official Commanders Log S.S Zebedee FR-263, the planet is a mess, whatever hit it came fast, they took out the communications and weapons in the first salvo if the decay rate was anything to go by, they used some form of weaponized plasma, with a quantum signature close but not exactly like that of Romulan weapons, but that is unlikely as Archanis is too far away from the Romulan Klingon border and they would have had to past through territory Koloth tells me is held by the house of Duras a high standing member of the High Council" Jon sighed "we have been unable to reach any Klingon fleet elements or bases since we entered there territory that can mean only one of two things we are the only ship in the region or there is a massive attack occurring on the Empire and we have blundered into it, End log"

"Sir were getting a communication on the company frequency" said Alison as her hands danced over her console

"Double cheque that" Jon ordered

"Defiantly the company frequency sir"

"Open the channel"

The small viewer flicked from a star field with a burning planet to a human face splashed with grease, oil and blood.

"Mr Daniels"

"Hey boss am I glad to see you" he smiled though it looked pained

"What the hell happened here?"

"They came out of nowhere, two ships bird shaped and green, never seen the like before they rolled over the colonies defensive patrols like an avalanche we barely managed to get the cloaking device reinstalled and operational to get away before they came back for the space dock" he said choking slightly "we had to leave a third of our men behind"

"Your brother" asked Jon, Daniels just shook his head negatively

"He tried to get the last of the men before the ships came back"

"I am so sorry"

"Not your fault boss it was those bastards that did it"

"And the ship"

"Fully operational we even managed to clean up the woefully inefficient impulse drive before the attack"

"Excellent are the transporters working"

"Aye they are boss"

"Get ready to beam myself and the new crew over give us five minutes to get our equipment ready"

"Aye see you soon boss" the screen then beeped returning to the view of the burning planet, Jon turned to his second officer who was sitting at the weapons station

"Well Lars I wanted to give you a good ceremony for when you took over but unfortunately needs must"

"I understand sir" he replied

"all I can say Lars is that if you treat her well, a ship can take you to hell and back, so treat her like you would your own blood"

"Aye sir I will"

"Sir" said Alison "there ready for Transport"

"Drop the shields and tell them they can begin" she nodded and a second latter Jon's vision was obscured by swelling amber lights and he was suddenly in a different place and met by three men in company mechanics uniform and one Klingon, he stepped off the hexagonal elevated transport pad.

"Welcome to the IKS Gr'oth" said the Klingon he was older his hair a mess of grey curls and covered in furs his left arm was in a rough sling, Jon nodded in response

"The crew?" he turned to one of the company engineers the smallest of the three a man of South American decent with the rank insignia of chief petty officer

"On the troop transporters, deck eight main drive sections" the small man said

"And who is this" asked Jon but before the mechanic could respond

"I am Kor Dahar master of the Klingon Empire" the Klingon said his sharp fangs on full display as he smiled, the transporter activated again before Jon could respond

"Kor!" It was Koloth he seemed to know this warrior "nuqneH bIpIv'a" (hello how are you)

"Koloth qaleghqa'mo' jIQuch" (I'm glad because I see you again) he smiled even wider "jIpIv. bIpIv'a" , (I am healthy. Are you healthy?)

"I am old friend" he said as he stepped off the pad and grabbed Kor by his arms

"I hate to interrupt this meeting of legends but we do have a situation here" Jon turned to the engineers "get the crews to there stations and get the supplies where there supposed to go double time"

"Yes sir" they saluted before running off

"Lets get to the bridge" he said to the two Klingons "we need to get a message out to the Klingon fleet"

"We need to track down the ships that did this", said Kor with all the conviction he could muster "we need to avenge the lives of the warriors slain this day."

"We need to get a message to your government, this may be an isolated incident or it may be a prelude to an invasion," he said as they reached the turbo lift as the three settled inside the capsule he called out "bridge" the doors closed and with an echoing whirr the lift began to move "we also need to know what happened to the patrol ships and whether or not they were destroyed to just incapacitated"

"If they have been destroyed then the nearest ships are two days away at high warp" said Koloth "and by the time they get here the trail will be cold"


	4. Chapter 4

The turbo lift doors whooshed open after a few seconds onto the main computer and life support section in the main hammer of the command module, from there they made their way to the command elevator and onto the main bridge, as the bridge came into view the three the two Klingon's were surprised.

"You've changed the layout"

"Yes something of my own design"

The bridge layout was vastly different from the standard, what was once the commander's chair was now the navigation and flight control systems off to the left was the operations console with the communication console on the right, the commander's chair now sat in the centre of the bridge with a large table placed horizontally behind it, the sensor operations and tactical systems sat at the very back of the bridge where the sensor and tactical information would be displayed and mirrored onto the table.

Jon and the two Klingons following walked to the table, he activated the large console and just as he did he felt a tap on the shoulder it was Mr Daniels.

"here you go boss," he said handing Jon a flack vest helmet and protective eyewear then finally a helmet in the style of the german stahlhelm.

"thankyou, Daniels," he said as he donned the flak vest helmet and eyewear "now do we have a trail"

"aye boss," he said as he entered in the sensor information, the screen on the table blinked and then showed the tactical screen with a blue line, Jon then entered in several commands and the table suddenly blinked again and a holographic display of the solar system with the ship as the focal point at the center appeared before them "it's here" he said pointing at the blue path that leads out of the system and towards the heart of the empire "from the angle of the exhaust and the map we have of the empire I believe it's heading towards Romulan space passing through this section of Klingon territory"

"That is Duras Territory," said Kor

"indeed," said Koloth agreeing

Jon turned to the communications officer

"have you tried to reach Klingon Imperial Fleet command"

"Aye sir we have been unsuccessful"

"jamming"

"no sir, well at least not from this system but the main hub of the Klingon subspace network in this sector passes through the central hub in, Duras?" the older Klingon Kor nodded, "Duras control space"

"so the blockage is happening there"

"I believe so sir"

"shit!" Jon cursed I can't detour to another node because we will lose the contact completely he turned to the head of the bridge and called out "Helm get us after the contact at best speed, inform engineering that we are going to need everything they can give us" he turned back to his comm. officer "tell Lars he is to head to Qo'nos at full speed and inform the Klingons of what is happening"

"Daniels," he said turning to the man

"no need I'll be in engineering keeping this old girl afloat," he said heading for the lift

"I'm sorry Koloth but it appears that we shall be late getting you to Qo'nos after all" the old warrior laughed

"I can't think of a more worth detour Captain" Kor smiled showing off his fangs

"It'll be just like old times Koloth if only Kang was here ah" he chuckled "come let us sharpen our bat'leth's once again" he chuckled again as he grasped his old friend by the shoulders "we may yet have more songs in us" he headed for the lift

"I haven't seen you this chipper since Klach D'Kel Bracht" he smiled as he followed his friend "I too feel young again," he said as the two stood on the lift and it activated the two then sank into the floor with the bulkhead irising closed as the last of their curly mains disappeared beneath it.


End file.
